A Road Less Traveled
by TJ Hix
Summary: This is an origin story for one of the Warcraft characters that I have had on my account. It's got a bit of a lesbian undertone to it...hence the rating M.


To Walk a Road Less Traveled.

The Anigava Back Story

"In times of war, hatred…prejudice against races and the slaughtering of innocents, one's purpose can be traced…back unto the day they first understood suffering." - Anigava Druscille

Anigava Druscille was born shortly after the second great war, in the alliance controlled land of Theramore. Her father, Covias Druscille, was a respected knight under the direct orders of Theramore's ruler for the alliance, Jaina Proudmoore. Her mother, Rosario Druscille, was a former priestess-turned tailor and healer for the people of Theramore. Needless to say, Anigava's was a life of privilege and prestige since birth. The fortified town of Theramore was well protected and a safe place for a child to be raised, even during times of random raids and horde outbreaks. And so young Anigava lived a most care free life, often playing outside the city's walls and fluttering through small wood-filled areas.

It was during one of these adventures outside the city, that she had made her first real friend at the tender age of eight. His appearance had been what drew her to him immediately. His moss-colored skin, his drooping brow, and wide nose which brought innocent giggles from her smile. His name was Grum, an orc child who liked to play in the wilderness as well, sometimes straying far away from his own home. And though they spoke different languages and were mostly unable to understand each other, they did understand the need for companionship. Thus the children became friends, and took every opportunity to play together whenever they would get the chance. But wars and alliances bring out an ugly side in people, and thus the friendship was not meant to last… One day as the children rolled through the grassy knolls, a larger pair of orcs happened upon them. Recognizing his parents, Grum made haste to introduce them to his new friend, but was met wish a harsh backhand from the male orc, who growled and scolded him in the language that was still foreign to young, Ani. The female orc shoved young Ani, who ran home, tears streaming down her face. Ani told her parents about her friend and the cruel monsters that had taken her him away. Looking for solace, she instead found anger and punishment for her role in the friendship. She and Grum would never play together again.

Time passed, and so to did the heartache of a friend lost. She had recently turned thirteen and had made new friends. Most noticeably, another girl her age who had moved with her parents to Theramore, from the distant town of Goldshire across the great sea divide. Her name was Nira, and the two girls had been inseparable since they had met two years prior. Beginning her ascent into adulthood, Ani was learning new things all the time, and she had Nira there to learn with her. Together, they questioned things about life, began to grasp an understanding of the oncoming third war, and began to explore their own personal feelings. And then they discovered first love…

The two stowed away in the city's horse stables one afternoon, after they had completed their chores. They liked to go there and talk about everything and anything, where only the horses could hear them. On this specific day, Ani had been teasing Nira about a boy in town. A boy that Nira had claimed she didn't like. Through Ani's persistence, the teasing tuned into arguing. The arguing into wrestling. And the wrestling into a kiss. And the two realized they had discovered something else about themselves…together. The kiss persisted and unfortunately, they were caught by a guard on patrol. Ani was in trouble again…

At the age of fifteen, the third great war was closer than ever. But so long as it remained outside the walls of Theramore, Anigava couldn't care less. She had taken Nira as her secret girlfriend for the better part of two years. Sneaking out of her home at night, just to be with the one person in the world who was everything to her. Their choice of meeting place had changed from the stables to the docks, where the only people who would ever happen upon them might be some drunk, and besides, they could always hide under the docks in the cool water. If a ship was scheduled to come into port that night, however, they would steal away to the woods she had played in as a child, just outside the city walls.

It was on one of these occasions, that she stepped out later than usual, having waited for her tired father to retire for the night. After he lay down, she crept out of her house and slinked through the shadows towards the city gate. She had barely made it out of the city and was headed for the woods, when she saw Nira running towards her from several yards out in the fields…a terrified look smeared across her face. Ani rushed out into the open, panicked, and then came to a sudden stop. A blank expression over-taking her as though her heart had quit beating in her chest. Barely 40 yards away from each other, Nira appeared to be floating just off the ground, until her body turned slightly revealing a gleam that was the moonlight reflecting of the blade of a sword that protruded from her chest. Ani's breaths drew short and faster. She fell to her knees, oblivious to the sounds of war horns that echoed from behind her in the city. Untamed winds began to whip around her as a small army of Theramore's paladin knights rushed past her into an equally sized group of orcs. Feeling as though her world had just come crashing down on her soul, Anigava never noticed the heavy hands that lifted her to her feet and began dragging her back inside the city's walls. Not until she was placed against the inner wall and shaken, did she notice her father standing before her. Tears suddenly flowing down her pale cheeks, she shoved her face into Covias' chest, crying uncontrollably. His arms grasped her tightly to him for a moment as the screams of the dying climbed over the walls.

And then he abruptly shoved her down. Glancing up at her father, she saw the love fade from his eyes, and then lowered her own, glaring at the cracked and rusted axe that lay imbedded half through his waist. A trickle of blood rolled over his lips and his hand reached out for her as the axe was retrieved from his body. Her father crumpled to the ground, fading away as Ani's wet eyes approached his executioner. And as though feeling she didn't have any more heart to be devastated, she realized she was wrong. Older, and with the loss of his innocent face from childhood, stood Grum. His eyes reflected the fact that he remembered her as well. He never made a move to harm her, but merely stood silent over the body of her father, possibly realizing what he had done. Ani never hesitated as she retrieved a blood covered dagger from her father's lifeless body, screaming violently as she pointed it at her childhood friend from her kneeling position. Grum's face grimaced and then he turned away, exiting the city and leaving the young girl to her first taste of suffering. She never saw him again…

The battle had been quelled, the orcs driven back, the dead laid to rest, and momentary peace restored. A year passed, and a now sixteen year old Anigava knew what she would do with her life. With her mother's insistence that she leave the shores of Theramore, and a burning desire to pick up where her father had left off, she left her mother and her home aboard a ship that would carry her across the great sea, to fulfill her destiny in the great city of Stormwind. As she crossed the massive bridge that lay before the largest structure she'd ever seen, she would be approached by fit man on horseback. He introduced himself as General Marcus and went on to offer his condolences and share a story of his time having known her father. She was then brought into the city's trade district and given a small tour as she had an appointment to meet in the chapel. And it was before the Arch bishops that she pledged her life to the king and the alliance's cause in the eradication of their enemies, the horde. But her time of training in the chapel was not to begin yet. She would have to journey south to the Norshire abbey where she would be broken in with service. After having been dismissed, she made her way back to the trade district, trading glances with a beautiful young girl by the corner of a goods shop. Brushing it off, she made haste to what would be her new home for the next few years of her life.

Anigava's four years at the Norshire abbey sped by as she was seemingly always busy. Whether it was killing the wolves and vermin that occupied the fields and a near by cave, or fending off the red masked bandits known as the Defias, she grew to become proficient in her duties. From time to time she even served as carrier of messages between Stormwind and the abbey. And thus shortly after her twentieth birthday, she was summoned back to the chapel in Stormwind, once again.

She was given orders that she would be living in the trade district inn from then on. Which was fine by Ani, because she would get to stare longingly at the girl outside the goods shop who had grown into a fine woman. But the fear of loving and losing again was always too much to bear, which made it easier to stick to her vows as a paladin.

So she returned to the chapel in her new home of Stormwind. This time, she was bestowed with the honor of furthering her training within the chapel. It was then that she met and was assigned to a young woman named Seraphinara's unit, adequately called "Crucible of the Light". More like sister's than friends, Seraphinara helped Anigava to grasp a better understanding of magic and the healing powers that had been bestowed upon them. And though she appreciated the opportunity and companionship, the rest of the until had consisted of poorly trained and un-enthusiastic paladin rookies. Anigava quickly moved to the front of the unit through a series of quests and trials that eventually placed her as the unit's second in command. It wasn't until Anigava visited the land of Westfall, that she found herself in the position to step up again. Finding the land in turmoil, she ventured to the source of their problems… A large underground mine and ship dock known as the Deadmines. On this quest, she had found herself sorely outnumbered and faced the cold touch of death on several occasions. It was here that she met the mysterious rogue night elf, Stalara. Together, they fought their way through countless bodies, leaving streams of blood in their wake. And in the end, her pride and persistence saw her through, as she took the life of the Defias captain, ….. Upon returning to Stormwind with the word of her deed sent beforehand by the alliance generals of Westfall, she graduated from "Crucible of the Light" and was promoted to solo service for the alliance.

The last two years have been less than calm for the constant-questing, Anigava Druscille. Her perilous journeys have dragged her through the haunted infestations of Darkshire, led her across the frost-bitten plains of Dun Morogh, seen her through the savage beast crawling jungles of Stranglethorn Vale, and found her combing the desert plains of the Badlands…All in the name of the king and the alliance. Most recently, her friendship and frequent run-ins with the night elf, Stalara, has found her a steady home and new friends in a well known guild of heroes that call themselves "Knight's Judgment". It is here that she helps to fight back the evil of their world alongside her closest allies, Stalara and possibly the kindest spirit she's ever met, Ayree.

And through it all, no mater what lies in store for her future, she knows that nothing can hurt her anymore than the pain she's already felt. And it is that pain that will drive her onward in the fight against those who made her suffer.


End file.
